The Overgaard Photo Seminar and Advanced Workshop in San Francisco
Thorsten Overgaard Photo Seminars & Advanced Workshops - SAN FRANCISCO
San Francisco July 2012
My goal is to install enthusiasm in any photographer and raise his or her skill level, self-confidence and production volume. And I do.
By: Thorsten Overgaard
The four-day Overgaard Photo Seminar & Advanced Workshop is limited to 8 participants.
The seminar has its base in central San Francisco.
This is the second workshop I do in San Francisco. If you have questions, don't hesitate to e-mail thorsten@overgaard.dk for further info.
It is a combination of the Overgaard Photo Seminar and the Overgaard Advanced Workshop tailored to bring you up to an advanced level on using your camera equipment, setting up a workflow on your computer, editing and presenting images, and shooting different assignments.
Use the button to check out via PayPal if you are sure, or send an e-mail to thorsten@overgaard.dk for further info, to reserve a space, or to require invoice payable via bank transfer. You may also enquire about changing date of seminar/join waiting list for a seminar for the chance that someone wants to change to the other date.
Thorsten Overgaard Photo Seminar & Advanced Workshop in San Francisco,
July 13-16, 2012
Price 2,000$
** SOLD OUT **
Future dates to be announced for 2013.
Send an e-mail to thorsten@overgaard.dk for further info
What to bring: The first evening you will bring the camera(s) you usually use and their lenses. We want to see as all the toys, so don't limit yourself. For the Friday shooting out we will select a minimum of equipment and wear comfortable walking shoes.
Sunday you will need a computer with Aperture or Lightroom installed (30 day trial is available) to set up a workflow, get your screen calibrated and edit the photos we did on Friday. Sunday will be a combined day where we go shoot and then finalize the seminar photos on the computers before we end off.
What to expect: You will meet likeminded people who want to improve their photography. 80%-100% will be Leica users, and if you are not, be prepared to become one. And if you are, be prepared to want more.
The seminar is very informal and hands-on and you will be able to ask all the questions you like as we will spend 30-40 hours together.
What we will deal with: People, citiscapes, street photogrpahy, portraits, how to handle people, timing, composition, your goal as a photographer, messages in photographs, your unique talents and skills, how to set up a workflow, what to look for when editing, color management, speed of work, white balance, exposure, reflectors, quality light, finding locations, how to present your photographs.
End result: You can expect to get a relaxed and simplified view on photography and realize that this is something you can perform well in, enjoy and produce much more than you used to. You will walk out from this seminar taller and more confident.
A photo from a cafe in San Francisco July 2011. Leica M9 with Leica 50mm Summicron-M f/2.0 II
"it has taken me a while to digest what I learned at the seminar. I have to say, you made me change my way taking pictures. Even weeks later I recall the one or other snippet of information. There was a lot for me to go through."
- H.C., Australia
Thorsten explaining about small cameras at the seminar in Leica Gallery Tokyo in January 2011. Photo by Pieter Franken.
A four-day photo seminar
DAY 1 - 18.00 - 23.00: We start the first day at 18.00 and continue till around 23.00. The first evening is in our seminar location where we go over camera theory, photography history, the rather important basics to understand the essence of photography, and we usually have a lot of equipment and lenses floating around on the table. We will also look at your basic skills and talents, and your purpose as a photographer.
Keywords DAY 1: Questions and answers, lots of equipment, analyzing your career as a photographer, understanding cameras, ISO, aperture, white balance, camera history, lenses, light reflections, types of light, light temperature, natural photography, available light, light metering, light meters, lens design, shutter design ... and more.
Student photo by Anton Candra og singer-songwriter Catherine Kubillus from the Overgaard Photo Seminar in Hong Kong, November 2011. Leica M9 and 50mm Noctilux-M ASPH f/0.95. For more student photos, see here.
One wouldn't be able to imagine all the equipment a handful of photographers can bring together... Photo by Pieter Franken.
"It's really changed my perception on photography and technique as a whole."
- BL, Singapore
Hong Kong December 2010. Leica M9 with 90mm Summarit-M f/2.5
"I was very fortunate to have the chance to take one of Thorsten's seminars last year at the Tokyo Ginza Leica Shop. I must say that it was well worth the time as I learned so much, met some great people and came away a better photographer.
Thorsten is a great guy, teacher and a world class photographer who brings much to the art of photography. Be warned though if you haven't caught the" Leica Bug" prior to attending one of his seminars you will after you attend."
- C. B., Japan
DAY 2: 10.00 - 18.00: We go out as a group the next day. You have an overall assignment of producing three images to present to the group on DAY 3, but the style is relaxed and we simply take a eight hour walk with coffee braks, lunch and lots of talk.
We will be looking for different light conditions and also work with portraits this day - and use all the basic theory we went over the first evening. We we end off with dinner for those who can.
Keywords DAY 2: Inspiration. Questions and answers, hands-on, networking, equipment, White Balancing, light meters, reflectors, portrait photography, strangers and people, street photography, architecture, finding the right light, aesthetics, focusing, timing ... and lots of coffee.
Michael, Hans, Friedl and Oskar at work in the streets of Palermo. We walk around and work as a group.
We will be spending 30-40 hours together doing formal seminar, walking about, working on images, having coffee and lunch. Lots of things to talk about. Photo by Younès Kabbaj from the Hong Kong seminar.
"Simple the best - I learnt a lot from you at the Photo Seminar. It was great to spend a lot of time with you and your experience. I am still deep impressed and it were very memorable days for me. I highly recommend anyone Thorsten's photo seminars.
Now it is time for my homework"
- T.S., Zürich
Doing portrait photography on location in Berlin, February 2011. Photo by Gerhard Gruber.
Coffee Break in Hong Kong, January 2011.
DAY 3 - 10.00 - 18.00: We meet in the morning and start with workflow theory. How do you set up computers, harddrives, backup, color management, systems to archive and find images, and then we edit the photos from the day before in Lighrroom or Aperture.
We select the best and do reviews as a group, and after lunch we do portrait photography and advanced theory.
Keywords DAY 3: Reflectors, types of light, looking for the right light, finding a location for portrait photography, message, rhythm in images, what not to photograph, Lightroom editing, DAM/Digital Asset Management, backup, workflow, job numbers, photo archive, keywords.
Swiss photographer Matthias Frei editing in London.
"Thanks so much for an inspiring weekend. I learned a lot, and it was a great group of people to spend the weekend with. I hope to see you again soon, either in NY or somewhere else. "
- D.G., New York
Student photo by Sharron Franks of two other students on the Overgaard Photo Seminar in London, September 2011. Leica M9 with 35mm Summarit-M f/2.5. See the gallery of student photos here.
"Thank you again for the course. It was a great few days when I learnt a huge amount. I like your easy style. I’m now hoping to have enough money for a Leica M11"
- R.S., London
DAY 4 - 10.00 - 18.00: This is the final day after we have done theory, photographed, reviewed our photographs. This day we are busy filling out holes we would like to work more with, refining techniques - and then we have to hurry back and edit the images so it's a wrap before we end off at 18.00.
Keywords DAY 4: Final assignment. Getting it all right. Finising every image and archiving. Publishing.
"Photography has become dear to my heart again. Hope we have still some time to spend together."
- J., Spain
Los Angeles, July 2011. Photo by Jeff Rovner.
Networking: The seminars tend to be new networks as we share the same passion in photography, and the participants usually have quite a lot more in common than just photography. Berlin 2011, photo by Malou Lasquite.
"Thanks so much for all your instruction this past weekend. I really enjoyed meeting you and spending time understanding more of how you view things. I know there is a lot more to learn and hope we meet again."
- R.Y., Texas
Matthias, Thomas and Chrostoph in Zürich, June 2011
Hong Kong, December 2011.
Berlin, February 2011
"It has been truly enlightening and a great joy for me to share those seminar days with you all! Many beautiful memories remain in the portait and especially the street photography departement ... and not last those personal talks we had about different styles of photography and Leica."
- M.F., Austria
London, September 2011, Polaroid courtesy of Abercombie & Fitch
Hong Kong, December 2011.
(If you use iPad you may click here to visit the original video on Vimeo) "Picture Perfect" video about Danish feature writer and photographer Thorsten Overgaard, by Emma Brumpton for Channel Four. The video was done on The Faroe Islands in 2008 during a week of photographing climate changes, when Al Gore visited the islands.
Thorsten Overgaard is a Danish feature writer and photographer who contributes stories and unique branding to magazines, newspapers and companies through exclusive and positive articles and photos. His work is being printed in Danish and international magazines, some of which are available via WireImage, Getty Images, Redferns and Associated Press. Some photos are available as limited signed editions online and from galleries.
For specific image needs, contact Thorsten Overgaard via e-mail.
Thorsten explaining about small cameras at the seminar in Leica Gallery Tokyo in January 2011. Photo by Pieter Franken. 
